Tavb adolphe canet



RESTAVAILABLE COF "(N0 RE Odell). 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

J. B. G. 4.. OANET. REGOIL CHECK FOR DISAPPEARING GUN OARRIAGES.

Patented Feb. 24, ,1891.

hwy cfaivrfi (7: M@ 047162 r47 95 3EST AVAILABLE CO? (No Mod'eL) 4 Sheets- Sheet 2.

J. B. G. A. CANE-T. BEGOIL 011301: FOR DISAPPEARING GUN GARRIAGES.

No. 447,227. Patented Feb. 24, 1891.

III

(NoModeL) 4SheetsSheet 3. J. B. G. A. CANET.

REGOIL CHECK FOR DISAPPEARING GUN OARRIAGES. No. 447,227. Patented Feb. 24, 1891.

' EST AVAILABLE COP (No.Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 4.

' J. B. G. A. (JANET.

REGOIL CHECK FOR DISAPPEARING GUN GARRIAGES.

Patented Feb. 24,

r. w m/ j UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JEAN BAPTISTE GUSTAVE ADOLPIIE OANET, OF PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T O SIR JOSEII-I IVHITXVORTII & COMPANY, LIMITED, OF

OPENSI'IAIV, ENGLAND.

RECO|L=CH ECK FOR DlSAPPEARl NG=G U N CARRlAG ES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 44?,227, dated February 24, 1891.

Application filed December 31, 1888. Serial No. 295,052. (No model.) Patented in England November 12, 1887, No. 15,514, and

November 14, 1887, No. 15,592, and in France January 28,1888,No.188,413.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JEAN BAPTISTE Gus- TAVE ADOLPHE GANET, civil engineer, a citizen of the Republic of France, and resident of Paris, France, have invented new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Gun Carriages or Mountings, (for which I have 0btained patents in Great Britain, No. 15,511, bearing date November 12, 1887, and No.

15,592, bearing date November 11, 1887, and in France, No. 1883113, bearing date January 28, 1888,) of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

r 5 This invention relates to gun carriages or mountings wherein the gun is supported by a rocking lever, which when the gun recoils turns upon or about its fulcrum orpivot, and thus allows the gun to retire or disappear behind or below a wall or parapet at or immediately after the moment of firing.

The chief feature of the said invention is the employment of a rotary or oscillatory 11ydraulic brake in combination with the said 2 5 rocking lever, as hereinafter set forth.

The said invention moreover comprises other improvements hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown how my said invention may be conveniently e and advantageously carried into practice.

Figure 1 is a plan of the improved gunmounting, showing the parts in the recoiled position. Fig. 1 is a vertical section on the line y g Fig. 1. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudi- 3 5 nal central section, showing the parts in full lines in the firing position and in dotted lines in the recoiled position, the extreme angles of elevation and depression being indicated by the dotted lines 3/ 3/ and Fig. :3 is a rear elevation, partly in transverse section on the line 00 m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, of the controlling and bypass valves. Fig. 4; is a section on the line 00' cc, Fig. 2, illustrating details of construction. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevationillustrating an arrangement of traininggear hereinafter described.

' A is a base-plate or racer, forming also a center pivot.

B is a rotating platform or turn-table, which is supported upon the said base-plate or racer through the medium of rollers A, and is pro vid ed with one or more clips B to prevent tilting of the gun and mountin G is the rocking lever, in the upper end of which the gun is held by means of its trulv nions.

D is a hollow cylinder, which is formed with or rigidly attached to the rocking lever 0, so that it serves as the boss thereof and is movable therewith. This cylinder is fitted to turn or oscillate upon a fixed inner cylinder or drum E, provided at its ends with hollow trunnions or projections E whereby it is securely held in brackets or checks B extending upward from the platform or turntable B. This inner cylinder or drum serves as a fixed axle or fulcrum around which the said lever turns.

The outer cylinder D is provided with a segment (Z, projecting from its interior surface and extending throughout the half or nearly the half of its circumference, and this segment is in contact with the exterior surface of the inner cylinder or drum E. The said inner cylinder or drum E is provided with a segment 6, projecting from its outer surface and extending around it for about one-fourth of its circumference. This segment cis in contact with the interior surface of the cylinder I). There is therefore a clear space f between the two cylinders throughout the remainder of the circumference thereof. The cylinder D has part of its inner surface eccentric to the segment 6, as at d. The said cylinder 1) is furnished with side or end pieces or covers I), which are firmly bolted or otherwise secured thereto, and which encircle the trunnions or projections E of the inner cylinder or drum E. The inner cylin- 9o der E is formed with passages c, affording communication between the space f and a central chamber or space 9 in the said cylinder E. The said chamber or space 9 communicates with recuperator apparatus through the. hollow trunnions E and through pipes it, provided with loaded or non-return valves j. This recuperator apparatus eomprises hydraulic presses 7c, the rams or plungers 7c of which are formed with or attached to the rams 10o tical pointing or elevation.

or plunger-s Z of air-cylinders which are firmly secured by bolts If to the turn-table 13. A suitable by-pass valve j is arranged in combination with each of the valves j to permit the return of the liquid from the hydraulic presses 7b into the spacef for the purpose of raising the gun to the firing position. The air-cylinders Z are connected by pipes m with a chamber or reservoir m, which rotates with the mounting and serves to equalize the pressure in the air-cylinders. A suitable pump is in some instances connected with thereservoir m to compress the air in the said reservoir, and thus obtain an initial pressure therein and in the said air-cylinders or compensate for loss of pressure therein.

It will be seen that by means of my rotary or oscillating apparatus I apply the brakepower directly to the lever at the axis of the same without the intervention of levers and rods or links for connecting the lever to the brake, thus simplifying the construction. \Vhen the gun recoils, the lever C and the cylinder D turn upon or about the trunnions or projections E of the inner cylinder or drum E. In this movement of the said lever and cylinder the segmental projection (Z acts as a piston or plunger to drive or force out the liquid contained in the spaeef. This liquid can only escape through a narrow space between the segment 6 and the eccentric portion d of the cylinder D, which space continually varies during the movement of the said cylinder by reason of the eccentric formation of the said part (1 thereof in such a manner as to gradually increase the resistance to the passage or escape of the liquid. The liquid is forced through the passages e in the cylinder or drum It and through the hollow trunnions or projections E, and, opening the valves j, passes through the pipes it into the presses It, and by its action upon the ams or plungers 7t" compresses the air in the cylinders l and chamber or reservoir m. The return of the gun to the firing position will be effected by the reaction or expansion of the air thus compressed,when the by-pass valves are opened to permit the liquid to flow under the pressure of the air from the said hydraulic presses into the hydraulic brake.

The joints or working-surfaces of the apparatus are suitably packed where necessary to make them fluid-tight. v

The air-cylinders and the liquid-cylinders are preferably made distinct or separate from one another. They are placed as shown or in any other suitable position.

The gun-mounting is provided with parallel-motion apparatus that is to say, with apparatus for keeping the gun parallel to the line of fire in its recoil and in its return movement while permitting its adjustment for ver- I prefer to employ for this purpose the apparatus shown in the drawings. This apparatus comprises arms or levers O, loosely mounted upon the trunnions or projections E of the inner cylinder or drum E. The said arms or lovers are connected to the gun by rods or links I, and are provided with toothed segments 0, which are geared with pinions Q, fixed 011 a shaft Q. A worm-wheel R, arranged upon this shaft, is geared with a worm R provided with a handwheel R for rotating it, and is connected with the shaft (3 by means of the well-known device of friction cones or clutches. By turning the hand-wheel R the worm-wheel R may be operated to impart motion to the shaft Q and pinions Q through the medium of the friction-cones, and the vertical pointing or elevation of the gun or movementof the same about its trunnions will be thereby effected. The arms 0 and rods I, arranged in combination with the gun and the rockinglever (l, as above described, form a jointed parallelogram, whereby the gun in its recoil, unless subjected to abnormal or excessively severe stresses, is kept parallel to the line of tire, and by making the vertical angle of the gun dependent upon the position of and controllable through the arms 0, I am enabled to effect the elevation or depression without impairing or changing the action of the parallelogramin respectof preventing deviation of the gun from he line of fire in its recoil or in its return to the firing position. Moreover the elevating mechanism is behind or be low the wall or parapet. Therefore the elevation or depression of the gun can be effected without exposure of the gunners to an enemys fire.

To provide for training the gun by hand a circular rack a is formed or fixed on the baseplate A, and has geared therewith a pinion 0, fixed on the lower end of a vertical shaft 0, on the upper end of which is fixed a wormwheel p. This worm-wheel has geared therewith aworm q, which is provided with cranks or handles q.

For training the gun by hydraulic or other power I sometimes employ the gearing shown in Fig. 5, wherein an internally-toothed rack n is fixed or formed upon the turn-table B,

and has geared therewith a pinion 0', fixed upon a vertical shaft r, supported in bearings formed with or firmly attached to the baseplate A, or other stationary support. On the said shaft '7' is also fixed a bevel-wheel s, geared with another bevel-wheel s, fixed on a horizontal shaft to which rotary motion is imparted by hydraulic or other power. I do not, however, confine myself to the use of any special form of elevating or training gear,

or of apparatus for keeping the gun parallel, as above described. Moreover my invention is applicable to gun-mountings wherein no provision is made for keeping the gun par allel to the line of fire during its recoil or during its return to the firing position.

The construction of my apparatus can be somewhat further modified without departing from the nature of my said invention. For example, springs or other recuperator apparatus may be substituted for the air-comdischarge of the liquid from the recoil-brake taking place into a tank, and the gun being returned to the firin position by the pressure of water from a pump or accumulator. The

construction of the oscillating hydraulic brake is in some cases modified by having the outer cylinder rigidly attached to the turn-table or frame, and the inner cylinder or drum formed on or attached to the rocking lever.

\Vhat I claim is 1. The combination, with a rocking lever for carrying a gun, of a rotary or oscillatory hydraulic apparatus comprising an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder or drum, one of which is fixed and the other of which is capable of rotation or oscillation about its axis and is firmly attached to the said lever, for the purposes above specified.

2. The combination, with a rocking lever for carryinga gun, of the rotary or oscillatory hydraulic apparatus, the outer cylinder of which is firmly attached to the said lever and the inner cylinder or drum of which serves as the pivot-pin or fulcrum of the said lever, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

The combination, with a rocking lever for carrying a gun, of a rotary or oscillatory hydraulic brake comprising an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder or drum, one of which is fixed and the other of which is capable of rotation or oscillation about its axis and is firmly attached to the said lever, and apparatus which receives the liquid from the said brake in the recoil and descent of the gun and forces the said liquid back into the said brake to effect the return of the gun to the firing position, substantially as and for the purposes above specified.

4. The combination, with a rocking lever for carrying a gun, of a rotary or oscillatory hydraulic brake comprising an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder or drum, one of which is fixed and the other of which is capable of rotation or oscillation about its axis and is firmly attached to the said lever, and a recuperatorcomprisinga cylinderconnected with the said brake and provided with a ram or piston and an air-compressor or its equivalent, whereby energy is stored during the recoil and descent of the gun and is utilized for effecting the return of the gun to the firing position, substantially as and for the purposes above specified.

5. The combination, with a rocking lever for carrying a gun, of a rotary or oscillatory hydraulic brake comprising an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder or drum, one of which is fixed and the other of which is capable of rotation or oscillation about its axis and is firmly attached to the said lever, and which are provided with projecting segments forming a piston and abutments, substantially as and for the purposes above specified.

6. The combination, with a rocking lever for carrying a gun, of a rotary or oscillatory hydraulic brake comprising an outer cylinder firmly attached to the said lever and provided with an inwardly-projecting segment or piston, and an inner cylinder or drum secured to the base-plate, turn-table, or platform of the gun-mountin g and provided with an outwardly projecting segment, forming abutments, and with ports or passages for the ingress and egress of the fluid, substantially as and for the purposes above specified.

' 7. The combination, with a rocking lever for carrying a gun, of a rotary or oscillatory hydraulic brake comprising an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder or drum, one of which is fixed and the other of which is capable of rotation or oscillation about its axis and is firml y attached to the said lever, a recuperator comprising a cylinder connected with the said brake and provided with a ram or piston and an air-compressor which is acted upon by and reacts upon the said ram or piston, and a compressed-air chamber or reservoir in communication with the said compressor, substantially as and for the purposes above specified.

8. The combination, with a rocking lever for carrying a gun, of a rotary or oscillatory hydraulic brake comprising an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder or drum, one-of which is fixed and the other of which is capable of rotation or oscillation about its axis and is firmly attached to the said lever, and a parallel-motion apparatus comprising an arm arranged to turn about the axis of the movable cylinder, mechanism for elevating the gun by the adjustment of the said arm, and a rod or link parallel with the rocking lever and coupled at one end to the said arm and at its other end to the gun, substantially as and for the purposes above specified.

9. The combination, with a rocking lever for carrying a gun, of a rotary or oscillatory hydraulic brake comprising an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder or drum, one of which is fixed and the other of which is capable of rotation or oscillation about its axis and is firmiy attached to the said lever, and a parallel-motion apparatus comprising an arm arranged to turn about the axis of the movable cylinder, mechanism for elevating the gun by the adjustment of the said arm, and a rod or link parallel with the rocking lever and coupled at one end to the said arm and at its other end to the gun, a recuperator com prising a cylinder connected with the said brake and provided with a ram or piston, and an air-compressor which is acted upon by and reacts upon the said ram or piston, substantially as and for the purposes above specified.

10. In a gun'mounting, the combination of the rocking lever carrying the gun, a hydraulic brake comprising an inner cylinder or drum secured to the turn-table or platform of the gun-mounting, and an outer cylinder firmly attached to and serving as the boss or bearing of the said lever, a parallel-motion ap- ITO paratus comprising arms or levers provided for rotating it, substantially as and [or the with toothed segments and loosely mounted purposes set forth.

on trnnnions or projections on the said inner I In testimony whereofI have hereunto si ned cylinder, and rods or links connecting the I my name inthe presence of two subscribing 5 said arms or lovers to the gun, and elevating I witnesses.

1901mmismpolnpl'ising100M169pinionsgem'ed I Jinx rirris'ni GUS'IM'E AIDOLPIIE own.

wlth the said toothed segments, a worm-wheel connected by friction cones or elntohes with Witnesses:

the said pinions, and a worm geared with the .T. L. RATI-IBONE, IO said Worm-wheel and provided with a handle R. J. PRESTON. 

